Some things take way longer than they should, and Microsoft making an announcement about its intent to add support for the tuning adapter, for all those SDV hating Windows Media Center Digital Cable Tuner users, is most definitely in that category. While we've been following this switched digital video problem for over a year now, most of the solutions we've seen have been aimed at TiVo owners, meanwhile Microsoft has been quiet. A few months ago we contacted CableLabs and AMD and while we received some promising responses, it's still just all talk. Some in the Media Center community -- yeah that's right, I'm talking about you Chris -- think the specs would have to be changed to even make it possible, but we don't see why it would be any more complicated than using the PC as a bridge with a little UPNP magic mixed it to bring it all together. Regardless of how it will work though, while we're glad MS said something, but the mystical response posted at The Green Button didn't give us much confidence that the solution is right around the corner.

[Via Chris Lanier's Blog]

Last week we learned that CableCARD 2.0 is a specification (not a physical device) that would allow consumer electronics companies to sell bi-directional CableCARD hosts that would work on any cable system in the US. But ever since CableCARDs started to hit the street we've wanted to be able to take advantage of all the features we pay for -- like VOD and PPV -- and until this specification is ratified companies like TiVo just won't be able to make this happen. While it's difficult to really get a handle on what is holding up the works, it seems like the requirement for OCAP support is the biggest point of contention.

With the July 1st CableCARD mandate right around the corner, we have really wanted to know how the cable companies are going to continue to provide VOD -- and other bi-directional services -- without CableCARD 2.0. Thanks to our friend Mari over at ConnectedHome2Go, we got to spend some time with Mark DePietro, the Vice President of Strategy of Motorola Home and Networks Mobility, and he filled us in on some details about CableCARDs. The most shocking thing we learned was: there is no such thing as a CableCARD 2.0 -- it's a standard, not a physical device.

So last night Microsoft formally finally lifted the veil for Vista CableCARD reviewers; we've got some stuff up, so do be sure to check it out to get your fix of what amounts to being the most expensive DVR rig yet devised. We missing something? Let us know in our what do you want to know? post, alright?

Installing a Vista CableCARD Media Center PC (part 1): Fiasco!
Installing a Vista CableCARD Media Center PC (part 2): Perfecto!
Vista CableCARD Media Center PCs - what do you want to know?

It isn't very long till the next deadline in the long road we call the digital transition. This next step will either be really big or really bad. While most people will agree that CableCARDs aren't that great, the FCC is dead set on making the concept work and starting in July cable companies will be required to only deploy CableCARD devices, that means no more built in security. It is an understatement to say that the cable companies are not happy. The irony is that they say it is because of the limited feature set of CableCARD, yet they were the one who came up with the standard in the first place. While we wait for CableCARD 2.0 or downloadable conditional access, we have to live with what we got in the meantime. The hope is that now that the cable companies are stuck with same system, they will actually be motivated to really make it work for consumers this time. With any luck this means buying a box like a TiVo Series3 won't mean: installation headaches and no VOD, any more.

[Via Connected Home 2Go]

Seems strange that it's been a whole year since Gates took the stage at CES 2006 to introduce CableCARD support in Windows Vista, but here we are, and with Vista about to hit the streets it's finally happening. Except users no longer need say "Vista with CableCARD" or OCUR (OpenCable Receivers) -- those boxes are now referred to as "Digital Cable Tuners", or DCTs, and that's the hardware you're going to need on your CableLabs certified Vista box to record digital cable HDTV. Expect to see a hell of a lot of boxes like this one at this year's CES, as well as any number of HTPCs ready to take advantage of it.

If you want to get HD channels from your cable provider onto your PC, this is the news you've been waiting for. At CES ATI has been showing off OCUR (Open Cable Uni-directional Receiver), the first and only CableCard 1.0 (no bidirectional) certified HDTV tuner.

By all accounts, it's ready to go, and will ship when Microsoft launches Windows Vista later this year.